Seven Flashbacks
by Hiraethe
Summary: "Hey, can I sit here?" Gray looked over at her, and felt something cold clench up in his stomach. Gray/Cana friendship.


**HELLO AGAIN!**

 **Anyway, I hope you like this fanfiction! If you do, please follow, favorite, and, most importantly, leave a nice little review for me (Absolute-ZERO99, Viperhat, where have you both gone? I miss you). Anyway, enjoy. ~Hiraethe**

* * *

"Hey, can I sit here?"

Gray looked over at her, and felt something cold clench up in his stomach. The girl's deep, violet eyes were peering at him, and her small hands squeezed the guild table hopefully. He stared at her for a moment, before moving over. She gave him a big smile.

"Thanks!" she said, and he grumbled in response. They ate their meals in a jagged silence, made complete with the boisterous clamors of the guild, and Gray cringed. _Disgusting_.

"You know," the girl began, her eyes turning misty, "I'm really happy you joined the guild. I've never had someone my own age to play with." Gray darted a fleeting glance in her direction before snorting.

"That's great but I don't plan on playing with you," the ice mage said, giving her an arrogant grin. "You're a girl, after all." Her hands, tanned from the Magnolia sun, balled up into fists, and her mouth furnished a decided pout. A twinge of guilt slithered up his spine, but he shouldered it off quickly.

"I don't think it matters," she mumbles, and she's shaking when she says it. He probably would have sat there, stunned and unmoving, if she hadn't touched his shoulder, and given him a smile the color of sunlight.

"Maybe we started off on the wrong foot," she said. "I'm Cana! You're Gray, right?" He nods absently, as if he should be doing something else rather than talking to an annoying eight year old girl, but gives her a sideways smile.

"Yeah, Gray. What are those things you have there?" he inquired, and she takes out the cards hidden in the festive pockets of her dress.

"This is my magic!," she said, and she displayed her cards in a neat array on the table. The conversation continued until sentences turned into sleepy fragments, and Cana, who had gotten up early that day, fell asleep on his shoulder. Gray, tired himself, placed his shirt around her, and proceeded home.

* * *

"Seriously, what's up with you? You've been on edge ever since what's-his-name got back," Gray hisses, and Cana doesn't respond. He slumps down next to her, his eyes covered by his raven colored bangs, and he sighs.

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to," he murmurs quietly, and places his hand over hers. He feels warm tears fall into the bridges of his knuckles, but he doesn't complain, doesn't even move.

"Gildarts," she whispered, and the ice mage perked up immediately. "Gildarts is my father." She watches as his eyes bug out, and his mouth drops open, and she let out a bitter laugh.

"Well, why don't you tell him?" he asked, and Cana holds her knees close to her chest.

"I'm weak."

"Yeah...why the hell would he care? And, besides, you're not-"

"I am!" she says, her voice raising before dropping to a soft whisper. "Gildarts would be ashamed to have a daughter like me." Gray opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out, and he let out a pained hiss.

"Don't tell him, please."

"I won't."

They sat there in silence, unbothered, and all that can be heard is the sound of unsaid words hitting the pavement. As if set on fire by a fit of emotions, Cana clung to him, biting her lip as hard as she could.

"I wish..." Cana started, but couldn't finish. Gray closed his eyes, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, and he gulped down the words he had promised he would never say again (I'll be with you forever). For a moment, they were only a boy and a girl trapped in a twisted world, but then, as if in answer to their prayers, a pair of hands lifted them up.

"Cana! I haven't seen you for such a long time!" the red haired man said, ruffling her hair. Gray saw a soft smile spread on her face, and she hugged him tightly. Gildarts looked at him with interest.

"You're Gray, right? Makarov has said some very nice things about you," Gildarts said, and Gray looked away in embarrassment. Cana grasped his hand, and despite the dried tears on her eyelids she still managed to give him a smile of sunshine.

"He's my best friend!" Cana said proudly, and Gildarts held both tighter.

 _If Only..._

* * *

Gray splashed water on his face, watching it turn a scarlet red with interest. He exhaled loudly, getting up from the bathroom floor to return back to the guild hall. He felt a body collide against his, and he hugged Cana tightly.

"Hey...," he said, before receiving a slap to the head. "Oi, Cana, what was that for?" The brunette puffed out her cheeks, and crossed her arms.

"You've been fighting her again, haven't you?" she said, and this time it wasn't funny. Gray looked down at his feet, not bothering to respond, because she already knew what he was going to say, and he was tired of repeating himself. He felt his legs tremble beneath him, and soon it was hard to stand. The recents had affected him more than he had expected.

" _Then why are you out here crying by yourself?_ "

She looked at Gray, who seemed shaken. Something was different.

"Gray...," she said, touching his shoulder gently. He clenched his teeth, his arms falling rigidly by his side.

"I'm so confused...," he began, and he couldn't continue. "She's stupid, and she hurts me, and she is arrogant...damn it!" He felt his eyes grow moist, and she squeezed his hand tightly.

"Sometimes that happens," she said. "But that's when you know you've found someone you really care about." Gray snorted at her response, and ran back to the bathroom. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to.

* * *

"Turn around Gray," Erza said, rubbing the white towel around his back. All was still except for the languid motions of the three children, and it was obvious that Gray was getting fairly uncomfortable.

"Oh, get over yourself," Cana said, giving him a smirk. "You act as if you've never bathed with a girl before." Gray rolled his eyes.

"Well, not a girl your age. I've bathed with Ur, and my mom, but that's...," Gray trailed off, and he shut his mouth. He never talked about them. Erza ignored his sudden silence, but instead pulled him close.

"Well, there is a first time to everything, you know. Don't worry, no one is getting murdered here," she said, before putting her finger to her chin. "Although, this would be a very good place to do it. All the blood would wash down the drain." The comment sent chills across Gray and Cana's spine, and the brunette let out a hesitant laugh.

"Right...that was creepy."

"What did you say?"

"N-nothing," the brunette said, and Gray laughed. The loud, albeit vulgar conversation lasted for a few more minutes, until their shower time was over, and the scarlet threw a towel over Gray's shoulders. He looked at her, and she looked back.

"I'm glad that I've made friends with you, Gray," she said, and the ice mage blushed at her statement. There was something special about these words-yet he couldn't pinpoint want.

"Yeah...me too."

* * *

"Is that what you're drinking?" Gray asked, in disapproval. Cana looked at the tanned auburn liquid, and she took another gulp. _Damn it, Macao, Wakaba...look what you have gotten me into._

"Is there a problem?" the card mage asked pointedly, and Gray shot her an angry glance. He absolutely _hated_ when Cana was like this. He took off his shirt , and sat down next to her.

"I don't know," he responded, at long last, and Cana put down the drink. She was giving him a rebellious glance that he couldn't turn away from, and he sat there, stunned.

"What the hell, Cana," he continued, his voice a faint whisper. "If you're sad, you don't rely on a glass of liquor. You rely on your friends." Cana rolled her eyes.

"And I suppose you're so much better than me."

"I never said that!"

"That's what it sounded like to me," she said. He cringed, not wanting to talk anymore,but she held him back. He thought he saw a little bit of the Cana he had known before...but, now, it was gone in an instant, and the only thing looking up at him were shining violet eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, Gray," she said, hesitantly, pulling him to sit next to her. She threw the rest of the liquid in the trash. "Sometimes I wish it was just us." The ice mage gave her a quizzical look.

"It's just that I miss you a lot," she said, bitter humor laced in her voice. "Now you have Erza, and Natsu, and, heck, even Elfman, Mirajane, and Lissana to keep you company. Sometimes I get lonely."

The ice mage felt a twinge of guilt shiver up his spine, and he turned away.

"People change, I guess," Gray started, his eyes closing. "But, Cana, no matter who you are, I'll love you all the same." The card mage felt tears trickle down her cheeks, and she blushed at his statement.

"As friends of course."

"Oh, shut up. I'm not into you, stupid."

* * *

A/N: This takes place in the future, when Gray and Cana are teens.

"Can you _please_ put me down?"

"I told you once, and I'll tell you again...SHUT THE HELL UP!" Cana yelled, and Gray quieted down with a groan. He was bleeding profusely from his side, and he felt consciousness ebb away from him.

"Oi, Gray...Gray!" Cana said, turning her head towards him. Gray grunted weakly in response. "Don't die on me okay?"

Gray laughed weakly at her statement, coughing afterwards, snuggling closer to her.

"I'll try my best."

* * *

"So, Gray, you were chosen for the S-Class exam?" she inquired, as she shared a drink with him. He downed his glass of beer, nodding.

"Yeah, but don't think I'm gonna go easy on you just because-"

"Don't say it. Yeah, I know. If you did I would be absolutely pissed," she said, snorting. However, her demeanor melted into one of silent remembrance, and she jostled him a little bit.

"So, let's catch up."

"I-In which way?" Gray asked nervously, because "catching up" Cana-style was never a good experience for him, and always ended with him either unconscious or utterly embarrassed. The brunette laughed at his expression, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, sharpen up pussy," she said. "All I wanted to talk about was your romantic statuses."

"What, you wanna date?" He joked, and she shot him a warning glare.

"Of course not. I'm talking about, Lucy, Juvia, and...," at the next name she smiled. "Erza." Gray rolled his eyes.

"What is there to talk about? Lucy and Erza are my friends, and so is Juvia, I guess...but she's a bit clingy, you know?"

"Well, the only thing that clings to me is the beer barrel. But, yeah, I get it," Cana said, and Gray smiled at her.

 _She always did._

* * *

 **And I'm done! In the reviews, tell me what types of stories you want me to do next. Here are the choices:**

 **Chapter Stories-They will be released ONCE A WEEK.**

 **More Drabbles-These I will release whenever I feel like. This can take more than one week.**

 **One Shots-Such as "Time of Life", "Promises" , "The Shade", and this story.**

 **Please tell me in the reviews! Love you all~Hiraethe**


End file.
